


Regret

by theoretically_moss



Series: A World Without You [1]
Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst, Azure Moon ending, F/F, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Blue Lions Route Spoilers, Hurt, Post Timeskip
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-09
Updated: 2019-09-09
Packaged: 2020-10-13 07:48:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20579000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theoretically_moss/pseuds/theoretically_moss
Summary: If there was one thing that Byleth regrets, it was choosing to follow Dimitri over Edelgard. Now she must bear the consequences of her actions as she stands before the Emperor one last time.





	Regret

The sight before Byleth should have been disgusting or horrifying. She should have looked at the thing before her and been angry or revolted. But she felt none of that in that moment. Towering in the air before her was a demonic beast that had once been Edelgard von Hresvelg, Emperor of the Adrestian Empire. A body made up of contorted brown muscles, or were they strange wrappings that made up the body of the beast? Byleth hardly cared as she stared at one aspect of the beast: the Emperor’s face, now greyed with small clumps of beastly flesh on her jaw, and a red glow coming from her eyes.

Byleth reached out her free hand, wishing to touch that beautiful face, guilt twinging at her heart. There was so much she wanted to say, so much that she was sorry for, and yet, when her mouth opened, only one word came out. “Edelgard…”

The beast’s lips thinned, pulling down slightly, full of pain and regret. Perhaps even a hint of sadness was in her features, or at least a part of Byleth had hoped. “Pro...fessor…”

Edelgard did not attack. Rather she lowered to the ground, her slightly human face coming closer to Byleth. The professor put her hand to the monster’s cheek, looking into those inhuman eyes. “I’m sorry I let this happen to you. If only…” she averted her gaze away from the Emperor for a moment, tears welling up. “If only I had joined you. I was foolish to think I could help everyone. There’s always a cost to war, it’s foolish to think otherwise.”

Byleth stood up on the tip of her toes, her face so close to Edelgard’s that she could feel the breath of the monster. Her thumb caressed the Emperor’s cheek as she whispered. “Some part of me has always loved you. It makes my duty all the harder.” She pressed a kiss to Edelgard’s lips, before impaling her with the Sword of the Creator. As the former professor pulled her face slightly away, she saw pain and betrayal on the face of the monster. “I’m sorry it had to come to this.”

The demonic beast fell to the ground, the wrappings of flesh seeming to boil before bursting away, floating off into thin air, leaving Edelgard behind to kneel on the floor. A pair of footsteps could be heard rushing up the stairs to the throne. Byleth dared not look at who it was, merely keeping her sad eyes fixed on the Emperor.

Dimitri came to her side, Areadbhar in one hand and other hand extended towards Edelgard. A smile came across the woman’s face as she pulled out her dagger moving to throw it. Byleth quickly turned her head away, the sickly wet sound of piercing flesh followed by the thud of a body hitting the floor. When she returned her gaze to the lords, she saw Dimitri pulling the dagger from his shoulder, throwing it at the ground by Edelgard’s limp body, before he turned and walked down the steps.

Byleth fell to her knees, pulling over the body so as to see Edelgard’s face. It had that same smile as when she threw the dagger. Fighting to the very end for her ideals. Tears stained the Emperor’s face, but they were not hers. Byleth brought a hand to her face, finding the tears she held back for so long had begun to flow.

Gently, she picked up Edelgard’s body, cradling it closely as she was wracked with sobs. There was nothing she could do to save her. Byleth’s grip tightened the more she cried. What she wouldn’t give to let her live. And then it came upon her. A small broken voice tumbled from her throat as she pulled back, staring at the bloodied Emperor in her arms. “Sothis, how far back can we turn the hands of time?”

Her answer came in the form of opening eyes as she shot up from her bed. Her bed back in Remire Village on that fateful day. Byleth rubbed her hands against her cheeks, finding the stains of tear streaks. She would make things right this time. She would protect  _ her _ .

**Author's Note:**

> Listen, there are only two things I wanted and that's (1) to kiss Hegemon Edelgard and (2) for Byleth to have a bit more of a reaction to the Blue Lions ending. Or a lot more of a reaction.


End file.
